


Death Valley

by BBCotaku



Series: Miss Missing You [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angels, Blood, Death, Ghosts, Heaven, M/M, Purgatory, Sad, gore?, no happy endings here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 13:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3121925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BBCotaku/pseuds/BBCotaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angels don't exist and tell nothing but lies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Death Valley

**Author's Note:**

> Recommend you read What a Catch Cecil before this. 
> 
> Set after the original ending of Miss Missing you. 
> 
> You know, the cannon of this series is really fucked up.

"Guess what I found listeners? More cassette tapes." Cecil reached into the small shoebox on his disk, picking up a clear plastic cassette. "I found them when I decided to finish cleaning out my closet, a chore I have...avoided I must admit— oh listeners I didn't notice this before." 

He ran his thumb over the label stuck to the tape, Carlos interview blooper 3 written in neat print, slightly faded with age. 

"Hm, I'm sorry listeners but I'll have to text our favourite scientist...Carlos...my boyfriend about this...he's busy experimenting on that neon purple slime that has been leaking out of televisions, their screens showing the viewer a broadcast of themselves banging on the glass with their fist and screaming. Apparently it smells of peppermint listeners, isn't that scientific?" 

Ignoring the purple gunk leaking out from one of the intern's computers Cecil continued on with the show, texting Carlos under the desk.

Hey,

Did we ever do an interview outside of the show? 

I found this cassette with your name on it.

XXX.

———

No, I don't think so. 

A͈̽r͈͌ë̥́ ̦̏y͍͌ò̙ṷ̈ ̲̿s̝̏u̝͐r̨̓e̙̋ ͈̿ï͔t̪͗ ͙̔h̲͂á̟s͖̒ ̩̚m͚̈́y̹͐ ̧̚n̙͘ȧ̰m̫̎e̘̊ ̅͜o̮̎ņ̐ ̻͝i̥͒ṱ̆?̘̿

W̶̼̉è̴̺ ̶̮͂h̵̘̆a̶̩̾v̸̖̎e̸̩̓n̷̺̾'̵͙̒ț̶̏ ̶̹͐ṟ̸͐e̶̢͗c̵̺͊o̵̲͝r̴̢͗d̸̯͠ê̷͜d̵̝̈́ ̶̻̊a̶͔̅n̴͎͑ȳ̵̖t̷̘͑ḥ̸̏i̴̒͜n̵̡̐g̷̪̀,̶̲̊ ̵͇̎s̸̗͗ō̴̡ŕ̶̼r̸͍͆ý̴̹ ̸̱̋C̴̥͘é̸ͅc̶̣̄ǐ̸͕l̷̻̈́.̴̧͐

"Cecil?" 

"Hm?"

"You okay? You look a bit pale."

Cecil blinked and rubbed his eyes, looking at Carlos who sat across the table from him, a forkful of gluten free pasta halfway to his mouth. 

"Yes, yeah I'm fine," said Cecil, shaking his head. "Just a bit dizzy, must be tired." He yawned and smiled over at Carlos. "What were we talking about again?" 

"You sure you're okay?" Asked Carlos putting down his fork. 

"Mm," Cecil stood up, head pounding. "I think I might have been re-educated today." He said, stumbling over to the door. "No biggy, just need a nap." 

He dragged himself into the bathroom turning on the taps and splashing his face with cold water, the dizzy feeling still lingering.

He straightened up and looked up at his reflection, rubbing his eyes. 

Wait what? 

Making an inhumanly loud shriek Cecil grabbed a towel and holding it up over the mirror. 

"Carlos!" He yelled standing on tiptoe so as to cover the mirror completely. "Carlos!" 

"What? What's wrong?" Carlos hurried into the room, eyes wide with worry. 

"Mirror." Said Cecil nodding towards the wall. "Stay covered

"I didn't take it down." Said Carlos edging round Cecil and pressing his hands against the towel, allowing Cecil to slip out from underneath him. 

"Well I didn't either." Said Cecil rifling through the airing cupboard for a spare sheet. Tugging one from the top shelf, something small falling down with it, landing at his feet. 

A blue cassette tape. 

Eyes narrowed, Cecil picked up the tape, examining it carefully. 

"How did this get up there?" 

"Cecil my arms have fallen asleep." Called Carlos, shifting uncomfortably.

"Right, sorry." Cecil slipped the tape into his pocket and carted the sheet into the bathroom, handing it to Carlos before disappearing from the room as the sheet of reflective glass was uncovered. 

Cecil! 

Cecil wake up! 

Get away from him!

It's your fault. 

You killed him.

You killed him! 

 

Cecil's eyes snapped open, sweat trickling down his forehead, breaths heavy. 

The room was dark apart from a the coloured sparks of the lights in the sky shinning dimly through the curtain. 

Cecil rolled over expecting to see Carlos' sleeping form but instead found the bed empty. 

"Carlos?" He called getting up and wondering out into the living room.

He must have just gotten up to go to the bathroom or something. 

A quick search of the apartment found that it was, indeed empty. 

Heart thudding Cecil ran back to his room, picking up his phone and opening contacts, for a moment the screen flicked with the names of his various friends and family, before going blank. 

"What the hell is going on?" Cecil whispered throwing the phone onto the bed, rubbing his temples. 

Still in his pyjamas Cecil headed out I his apartment and into the hall, knocking on his neighbour's door. 

"Sorry," he said knocking again. "I know it's late but Carlos has gone missing, I can't find him." 

No answer. 

He knocked again and the door splintered to his touch, revealing a bright, blinding light. 

Cecil stumbled back and bolted down the hall, back into his apartment, pulling open the blinds and seeing nothing but pure, white light.

"What the hell is going on?!" He screamed running his fingers through his hair, which was damp to the touch, his fingers stained red with blood. 

Cecil's breath stuck in his throat and he stared down at his hands, his arms aching, covering in black and purple marks, bruises?

"Don't die Cecil! Please, come on, keep your eyes open please! Cecil...please." 

The light seeped under the apartment door, flooding into the room. 

Cecil backed away from the light eyes wide with terror, hurrying into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. 

He knew it wouldn't help, he knew whatever this thing was would get in, he knew, he knew. 

The mirror was uncovered again. 

Cecil scared reflection staring back at him. 

A boy, eyes red and puffy, arms battered and bruised, deep gashes in his thost  
, blood pouring down the back of his neck. 

The light surrounded him, whirling around like a cyclone. 

Cecil squeezed his eyes shut, falling to his knees. 

"Oh boy." 

"Carlos?" Cecil called over the roar of the wind around him. 

"So, what interesting things happened?" 

"Carlos!" Cecil pushed himself forward, lifting his arms to shelter his eyes from the light. 

"Can you be quiet for five minutes?"

And suddenly, as quick as it had arrived the light was gone. 

He no longer stood in his home, instead he stood in a graveyard, shivering, rubbing the back of his neck, still bleeding. 

His eyes flicked around the graveyard, trying to slow his racing breath. 

A two men stood in front of grave, one doubled over, hand clamped to his mouth, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

"Carlos?" Cecil gasped walking forward, holding out his hand before stopping dead in his tracks. "You!" He growled, teeth grit as his eyes settled on the man next to his perfect Carlos. He bolted forward fist clenched. "Kevin, get away from my boyfriend you ba—" his punch fazed straight through his double's body, and his eyes...his eyes...were.

"Hey, Carlos it's okay." Said Kevin sympathetically, awkwardly patting Carlos on the back. 

"What's going on?" Asked Cecil taking a step back. 

"Mr. Palmer?" 

Cecil whirled round and gawked at the long, tall, winged creature standing behind him, it's wings outstretched. 

"No," he said scurrying away. "No, no, no, angels do not exist, you can't be here." 

"Mr. Palmer you should calm down and come with me." 

Cecil covered his eyes with his hands.

"Honestly Cecil you're acting like a complete child." 

"Angels don't exist and tell—"

"Nothing but lies, yeah buddy I know." The angel crossed a couple of its arms and rolled it's eyes. "Seriously kid I've never seen a person so dead set on staying in purgatory." 

Carlos rubbed his eyes and started to walk away.

"Carlos!" Cried Cecil, hurting after him, away from the angel. 

"He can't see you idiot!" 

"Lalala," yelled Cecil covering his ears with his hands. "You're lying, you're lying, you're lying!" 

The angel reached out and grabbed Cecil's shoulder. 

"Stop acting like a baby and listen to me you damn idiot!" 

Cecil tried to pull away, watching as Carlos got into a car. 

"Carlos!" He screamed tears streaming down his cheeks. "Carlos don't go!" 

"Right. Cecil Gershwin Palmer," the angel grabbed Cecil's other shoulder holding him in place. "You. Are. Dead. You died June 15 2012, you pissed off your psycho of a mother and she killed you by accident. And you're keeping yourself in limbo because you're so stupid that you won't accept your own death." 

"My mother would never hurt me," Cecil growled. "She loved me...she...she..." His face crumpled, shoulders shaking. "I'm not dead! I'm not dead! I live in Night Vale, with Carlos and Khoshekh and I work at the NVCR and I go bowling and...and...and I'm not dead!" 

One of the angel's jaws clenched. 

"I'm trying to help you, come with me and I promise everything will be fine, it's a better idea than staying in the hellhole you've made for yourself." 

"Angels don't exist and tell only lies." Cecil chanted screwing his eyes shut. "Angels don't exist and tell only lies." 

"Fine," the angel growled letting go. "Fine you want to stay here for eternity? Fine. But just know that purgatory always fucks you over in the end." 

——— 

Cecil's eyes fluttered open, a small yawn escaping his lips. 

"Morning sleepy head," said Carlos dropping a duffle bag on the bed with a muffled thud. "Sleep well?"

"No," said Cecil flatly tugging the blanket over his head. 

"Wow your memory really is shit." Said Carlos opening their closet, tugging various t-shirts and jeans, and stuffing them into the bag.

"Where are you going?" Mumbled Cecil sticking his head out from under the covers. 

"The house that doesn't exist, come on Cecil it was your idea!" 

"Oh," Cecil sat up quickly, kicking off the covers. "Today's Parade Day."


End file.
